Didier Deschamps on referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz’s last match: “VAR didn’t want to contradict him!” | OneFootball

An otherwise uneventful Euro 2024 qualifier between France and Greece on Monday night – decided by a sole Kylian Mbappé penalty – notably saw referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz take charge of the final game of a career which has spanned over two decades.

The Spaniard already officiated his final La Liga match in the fixture between Rayo Vallecano and Mallorca earlier this month – capping off fifteen seasons in his country’s top flight – and would be hanging up his whistle on leaving the Stade de France tonight.

Fittingly, Mateu Lahoz was at the centre of the action – notably denying Kylian Mbappé three penalties in the first half, before ending the game with 14 minutes of added time. The official was the last person to leave the pitch.

Speaking after his team’s win to L’Équipe, Didier Deschamps believed that the referee had been too harsh in his refusal to point to the spot in the first half – but nevertheless paid tribute to his impressive career:

“He’s a gentleman. I think the VAR people didn’t want to contradict him because it was his final game! Honestly, having seen it back… there were two or three there – I’ve seen them given for less. It didn’t have any impact on the result, but it could have given us a different game. But much respect to Lahoz because he’s had a great career, and tonight was his final game.”

GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin